Klitschko not over looking Sultan

By Francisco Guzman
Photos: Cesar “KenMarc” Delgado
 
 
Yesterday at the Wamu Theater at Madison Square Garden in New York City  IBF/IBO heavyweight champion Wladimir Klitschko (49-3-44 KO’s) and WBO heavyweight champion Sultan Ibragimov (22-0-1-17 KO’s) met at a press conference for their unification bout this Saturday. This is the first unification bout since Lennox Lewis and Evander Holyfield met back in 1999.
 
Since his crushing knockout losses to Corry Sanders and Lamon Brewster, Klitschko was pretty much written off. Larry Merchant once said “saying Klitschko has a glass jaw is an insult to glass”. Since then Klitschko has had seven straight wins. His toughest win was against the hard punching Nigerian Samuel Peters where he was knocked down three times in that fight and still won on points.
 

Wladimir went on to win the heavyweight title by defeating Chris Bryd for a second time. Recently he also avenged one of his losses against once conqueror Lamon Brewster by stopping him in the 6th round. Well the man with the glass jaw is now heavyweight champion and if he wins this Saturday night he will be taking a step closer to be the ruler of that division.
 
2000 Olympic Silver medalist Sultan Ibragimov is a very skillful but small heavyweight with fast hands and good combination punching.  Sultan has handled himself well as a heavyweight staying undefeated for the last five years plus winning the title from Shannon Briggs and defending the title by beating heavyweight legend Evander Holyfield. Sultan will have to overcome a height and reach disadvantage in order to beat the much taller Klitschko.
 

Manny nor Wladimir are going to underestimate the much smaller Ibragimov.
 
Manny Steward: “I think he will be the best opponent Wladimir has faced as a pro. He is not a big guy but he knows how to win big fights over big guys. He has hand speed, he explodes and moves quickly and he makes most big guys size a handicap. I told Wlad this will be the best you have fought. We are not taking him lightly”.
 

Klitschko: It is a special event. It is a very special fight. It is a very special opponent. He’s undefeated. He’s a world champion and I respect him a lot. I will not underestimate Sultan Ibragimov and I will not overestimate him.